Ralf Törngren

Ralf Johan Gustaf Törngren ( born March 1, 1899 in Oulu, † May 16, 1961 in Turku ) was a Finnish politician and Prime Minister.

Studies and career

Törngren graduated from 1922 to 1927 to study economics at the Åbo Akademi, a Swedish-speaking university in Turku. During his student days he was from 1923 to 1924 Chairman of the Student Union of his college. After receiving his doctorate in 1927, he worked until 1936 as a lecturer in economics at the Graduate School of Åbo Akademi. In addition, he was also the 1931-1948 Treasurer of the Foundation of the Academy and member of the Board of the local trade school. 1958 until his death he was finally rector of the Graduate School. 1958 honorary doctorate from the Graduate School, he was awarded. In his honor, the Åbo Akademi gives an award since 2001.

He was also temporarily a member of the board of lawyers clubs Codex.

Political career

He began his political career in 1936 with the election of deputies of the Reichstag and represented there until his death in the interests of the Swedish People's Party ( sfp ). From 1945 to 1955 he was chairman of the sfp.

Between 1944 and his death he was minister in several governments. Initially he was from November 1944 to 1945 Minister of Social Affairs and then to July 1948 Finance in the Cabinets of Juho Kusti Paasikivi Mauno Pekkala as well. In the first cabinet of Urho Kekkonen, he was successively Minister of Social Affairs ( March 1950 until 1951 1951-1952 ), Deputy Minister of Finance (1951 ) and Deputy Foreign Minister (1952 to November 1953). Then he was from November 1953 to May 1954 Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Sakari Severi Tuomioja.

On 5 May 1954, he was the successor of Tuomioja as Prime Minister and was until 20 October 1954 at the office.

In the presidential elections in 1956, he ran for the sfp. After the first round of voting in which he was able to unite all the votes of its 20 electoral votes, he withdrew his candidacy. His competitors Urho Kekkonen was elected with just one vote.

From March 1956 to May 1957 was Törngren foreign minister in the cabinet of Karl- August Fagerholm and from January 1959 until his death in the cabinet of Vieno Sukselainen. During this time, he was also Deputy Prime Minister.